..... a lot!
Project Update!!!!
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From: St. Libory
Jake - I think if you look at the width of a 79 4X4 axle and transfer case you could slide the axle under the leafe springs of your bump and it would work. You would need to of course transfer some of the hardware to make it work. Of course you would also need to make sure that you had the same size front end to match the rear end. Of course if you put a 3.72 rear end with a 3.50 rear end it would end in a very nasty mess. Get one of these gear ratio specialists to give us some backup on this.
I want power steering on my 69 and I want someone to get this figured out before I have to do it!
I want power steering on my 69 and I want someone to get this figured out before I have to do it!
Gah, I don't know. Too much to think about right now. I want to get this thing done!!!
-Jake
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From: Kearney, Nebraska
Sadly the power steering Ram Assist set up was not a very well thought out design. Some things to think about when doing the swap with a 79 front end are: 1. You get disk brakes 2. the pitman arm goes the oppisit direction on a 79 than on a 72 and older, so you can use the power steering gear from a 79 which is MUCH, MUCH, MUCH cheaper than have a power steering gear reworked ($1,200 just for the steering gear). There is an instruction on the Fordification site that goes through the steps pretty clearly.
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From: Kearney, Nebraska
Hey Jake - Sorry I forgot that you didn't have the liefs under the 2WD. You can still order those so it may get a bit pricey unless you find some in a junk yard.
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From: St. Libory
George,
Thanks for reminding about Fordification's site. I used to read on there quite a bit but I seem to have forgotten about it. They have a very good tech article for swapping a 67-72 body on a 73-79 frame.
Seems as though the ONLY difference from that '74 highboy to my '69 2wd is that the frame is 2 inches longer. (131" wheelbase vs. 133") The width of the rails was unchanged on the highboys, but it was 4 inches wider on everything else (includding post highboy 3/4 ton 4wds).
They said in their article that most people split the difference of the 2 inches of frame length by having the gap 1" longer behind the cab and then having the rear axle 1" behind the center of the wheel well or by moving the rear axle ahead the 2 inches and getting a shorter driveshaft.
Chassis Comparison - '67-'72 vs. '73-'79 - FORDification.com
-Jake
Thanks for reminding about Fordification's site. I used to read on there quite a bit but I seem to have forgotten about it. They have a very good tech article for swapping a 67-72 body on a 73-79 frame.
Seems as though the ONLY difference from that '74 highboy to my '69 2wd is that the frame is 2 inches longer. (131" wheelbase vs. 133") The width of the rails was unchanged on the highboys, but it was 4 inches wider on everything else (includding post highboy 3/4 ton 4wds).
They said in their article that most people split the difference of the 2 inches of frame length by having the gap 1" longer behind the cab and then having the rear axle 1" behind the center of the wheel well or by moving the rear axle ahead the 2 inches and getting a shorter driveshaft.
Chassis Comparison - '67-'72 vs. '73-'79 - FORDification.com
-Jake
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From: St. Libory
Yea, I guess you're right. I've got nothing better to do all week once I get home from work. So I was just thinking.....I'd have the box off the frame anyway.....it wouldn't be that big of deal to slide that rear axle forward two inches.......
I'm sure my dad would LOVE it if I dragged that '74 over to the shop. I really wish I had my own shop that I could work on this in.
-Jake
I'm sure my dad would LOVE it if I dragged that '74 over to the shop. I really wish I had my own shop that I could work on this in.
-Jake
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Thanks Joe, I'm looking forward to getting back to it in the spring!
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From: St. Libory
Hey gang! I think those of us with real progress just start our own threads!!! I long for the day when I can do that!!!
I don't really have anything to post up. Going to take the '69 out cruising tomorrow night with a few friends. Should be a good time. I went out to start the '71 last weekend and I couldn't get it to do anything at all, even with a good battery. I tried jumping the solenoid, no luck. I took the cable to the starter and touched it right to the battery, still nothing. Maybe it was too cold. I don't know. I'll mess with it some more this weekend. I need to clean it out and post some pictures of that rig!!! George is the only one that's seen it!!!
So, I've scraped the idea of a 4wd swap for Ol' Blue. Right now the idea has returned to me that I should swap in a Toploader or a 5 speed. The problem is, I've got too much motor for most of what's out there. I think last time I looked I found a tranny for about 2 grand.....and then I still gotta get a clutch, flywheel, pedal, and all the linkages.....sheesh! I don't know, I should probably just keep the old C6 but I should get it someone that knows how to set it up.
How 'bout you?!?!?
-Jake
I don't really have anything to post up. Going to take the '69 out cruising tomorrow night with a few friends. Should be a good time. I went out to start the '71 last weekend and I couldn't get it to do anything at all, even with a good battery. I tried jumping the solenoid, no luck. I took the cable to the starter and touched it right to the battery, still nothing. Maybe it was too cold. I don't know. I'll mess with it some more this weekend. I need to clean it out and post some pictures of that rig!!! George is the only one that's seen it!!!
So, I've scraped the idea of a 4wd swap for Ol' Blue. Right now the idea has returned to me that I should swap in a Toploader or a 5 speed. The problem is, I've got too much motor for most of what's out there. I think last time I looked I found a tranny for about 2 grand.....and then I still gotta get a clutch, flywheel, pedal, and all the linkages.....sheesh! I don't know, I should probably just keep the old C6 but I should get it someone that knows how to set it up.
How 'bout you?!?!?
-Jake
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From: Kearney, Nebraska
Just waitin for warm weather so that i can set the engine, tranny, plumb the brake lines, install the fuel cell and set the cab back on the frame. Things will hopefully start coming together fairly quickly!